It’s become increasingly clear in recent years that the quality of your product is no longer the most important thing when it comes to securing and keeping customers. Indeed, the quality of your customer service is just as important, if not more crucial—especially when it comes to holding onto existing customers. According to a recent survey from Emplifi, 86% of consumers said they would leave a brand they were once loyal to after only two or three bad customer service experiences and 63% said they would leave after just one.

All that to say, good customer service is no longer good enough. You have to be great. Here, we’re sharing three ways to take your customer service to the highest level.

Good Customer Service: Fast Connection and Resolution

 

A recent report from PwC on customer experience found that speed/efficiency is the most important factor that customers considering when thinking about great customer service experience. Frankly, this isn’t that surprising—most people have barely enough time each day to complete their list of to-dos, let alone spend hours trying to troubleshoot an issue they are having with a product. For this reason, many companies focus on providing fast connections to helpful agents and the speediest resolution so that customers can get back to their lives and back to using the product as quickly as possible.

 

Great Customer Service: Efficient Connection and Resolution

 

Speedy customer service is all well and good, but if the service is not thorough and accurate it may as well have been slow. That’s the difference between fast and efficient—efficient connection and resolution guarantees that the customer connects quickly with the person best equipped to solve their problem and most likely to give them the best solution. Combining these elements with speed is what takes customer service from good to great.

 

Good Customer Service: Easy-To-Use IVR

 

After speed and efficiency, convenience is the next most important aspect of customer service. This means that customers want it to be clear and easy for them to get the support they need. One of the best ways to do this, especially if you primarily offer customer service over the phone, is to employ an easy-to-use and comprehensive IVR. This will help customers reach the correct agent, limiting transfers and dead ends, which will make access more convenient.

 

Great Customer Service: Easy-To-Use IVR and Self-Service Tools

 

How do you take convenient customer service a step beyond a solid IVR? By also offering self-service tools, such as guides, videos and articles that customers can access themselves before they even call into your customer service call center. Offering additional options gives customers the chance to choose the customer service method that is most convenient for them.

 

Good Customer Service: Knowledgeable Agents

 

The third most important aspect of good customer service is knowledgeable agents. Customers don’t want to deal with agents who don’t know how to solve their problems. Agents must be well-trained and well-versed on all the different types of inquiries they are going to receive so that they are well equipped to offer insight that will lead customers towards a speedy and satisfying resolution.

 

Great Customer Service: Knowledgeable and Empowered Agents

 

Knowledge is great, but do you know what’s even better? Knowledge combined with the power to carry out the best resolution, regardless of what it may be. Giving agents the power to see a customer interaction through to the end without having to direct the customer elsewhere to reach a solution not only improves agent satisfaction but will also drastically improve customer satisfaction, significantly increasing your chances of retaining customers.

Another way to ensure you’re offering the best customer service possible is to give the agents working in your call center the best possible tools. CallShaper offers an easy-to-use platform with all the features you need to provide great customer service. To learn more, request a demo today.